


Walk Beside Me, Anyway the Wind Blows.

by sugarcomatosed



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Post Game, Verdant Wind Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:48:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21647056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarcomatosed/pseuds/sugarcomatosed
Summary: A lull the post war celebrations finds the two of them sitting alone, tackling the subject Claude's been afraid to broach.
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 8
Kudos: 84





	Walk Beside Me, Anyway the Wind Blows.

Celebration was always their strong suit, The Golden Deer always had a song to sing and a smile to share with strangers.And today they were at their strongest, for everything was finished and finally they could celebrate because together they had wrought a new dawn.

Laughter, exhaustion and joy all blurred together till Hilda couldn’t tell which was which.One moment she was dancing with Lorenz, a complicated waltz that looked ridiculous considering they were dressed like soldiers still, and then the next she was spinning over toMarianne who laughed and laughed as Hilda took her around their makeshift ballroom.

And she felt like she was still spinning as she brushed past the Professor who smiled so warmly it made her beam too. She sat down between Lysithea and Raphael to steal a bite of the promised feast, and laugh at their piled high plates.But only for a moment before she was up again and racing up to peer over Ignatz’s shoulder at the sketch he was making of the party. 

It only took a little wheedling to get him to forget his art and to join the party proper, a lot easier than it had been to convince Cyril to when things had begun hours prior. They both were now being accosted to dance by Flayn, who beamed merrily at Hilda. Seteth only a few feet behind didn’t seem as cheerful and Hilda couldn’t keep from laughing. 

She weaved past them, and by Professor Manuela and Catherine who were having a rowdy drinking contest, supervised by Shamir and frowned upon by Professor Hanneman. Alois joined Hilda in clapping for the victor. Hilda turned and then bumped face first into Leonie. 

“Careful!”Leonie laughed. “Where are you going in such a hurry?” She placed a steadying hand on Hilda’s shoulder. “The war’s over and you two just won’t sit still.”

Without asking, Hilda knew who she meant. 

“Have you seen him?” Hilda asked.

“I think he was looking for you.” Leonie gave her a strange look. “Any ideas as to why?” 

“...no?” She hesitated. “Yes? I don’t know. ” Hilda laughed and smiled a bit too widely.

“Better catch up to him then. ” Leonie squeezed her shoulder once. “Think you can find him on your own?” 

“Of course, just enjoy yourself!” Hilda chided. “I can find him easy.” If she ignored the churning feeling in her stomach at least. Leonie waved her off and Hilda thanked the goddess that it was Leonie who told her because someone else might have been more worried or started to tease. Swallowing her nerves, Hilda set off through the crowd again.

Somehow, even though Claude was the man of the hour, he’d disappeared from the festivities. She’d seen him earlier, a flash of yellow in her peripheral vision. He had working his way through the crowd but it seemed like he’d vanished now. It made her a bit uneasy, it wasn’t like him.

She left the party goers and headed up the stone steps towards the Goddess tower on a whim. She rounded the corner, the sun was starting to set and you could see it clearly from here. 

“...what took you so long?” His voice was hoarse. Claude sat with his back against the stone wall and his eyes half shut, looking decidedly small for a man who had easily half a foot on her. 

“You could have gotten me.” Hilda joined him, bumping her shoulders against his as she did. “Tired?”

“You were busy.” He shrugged and sat up a little straighter. As he repositioned himself, his hand strayed to rest close to hers. “As for me, I’m just trying to process it all.” He laughed a little. “I just needed a minute to breathe.”

“I don’t think I’ve stopped moving since I got out of bed this morning.” Hilda complained. 

“None of us have.” Claude chuckled. “Been a bit of a day.” They both knew she was complaining more out of habit than out of sincere frustration. 

His hand wanderedover hers and Hilda let him take it. They lapsed into silence. There was something they needed to tackle but she didn’t know if she was ready to; there was no going back if they did. 

The sounds of merriment almost sounded like a lifetime away. They certainly felt like they were. 

“...do you remember,” Hilda asked in low voice. ‘When we came here during the ball?”

His fingers twitched, tightening around hers. 

“Wouldn’t forget it for the world.” Came the reply. “You were mad that I hadn’t danced with you yet.”

“You were the last person I needed!” She protested. “I’d even wrangled Dimitri into one and-“ She stopped suddenly. Dimitri was dead.

Claude picked up where she stalled. “I remember. You got your dance though.” He elbowed her gently. “..didn’t I start making my own steps up?”

She nodded mutely. “We were waltzing and then you decided that was boring.” She mumbled. 

Hilda didn’t have to look at him to know he was smiling. “...well, it was. It was fun to make a wish with you though. “ 

“I wish you had taken that more seriously, it was a pretty big deal. I turned down a bunch of guys and wasn’t planning on making a wish with anyone.“

“And then you changed your mind because I was so charming?”

Hilda giggled in spite of herself. “Sure. We’ll go with that.” She dropped her head onto his arm. They stared out at the setting sun for a moment. 

“...I had something I wanted to tell you.” Claude said slowly. “I’ve been thinking about it and... I wanted to tell you before the day was up.” He mumbled.

Hilda tensed. Her heartbeat thrummed does loud in her ears she almost missed what he said next. 

“I’m going home.” 

Disappointment curled up in her chest, nestling right in next to her heart and Hilda only managed to squeak out a strangled “...oh?” before he continued. She was already chewing herself out for hoping, hoping for...what?

Claude’s hand was still tangled in hers.

“I’m staying long enough to get things started for Fodlán but ... after that.” He didn’t look at her. “I’m going home to Almyra. I’ve already told Teach.”

“Oh.” Hilda repeated. “Oh.”

At any other time she might have pointed out to him this was the first time he was admitting to being Almyran, or pressed him further to admit more but she was still reeling from the sudden rejection.

Claude still couldn’t bring himself to look at her. “I’ve got some power back home, not much but... If I want to accomplish my goals, to create that world... I have to go back.” His voice was raw.“ I’ve got to change their minds about Fodlán.And.... I don’t want you to get hurt.” He turned to face her. “I know you said you’d come with me but- are you okay?”

Hilda blinked. Hot tears raced down her cheeks. She pulled her hand free to run at them. “Yeah.” She forced a laugh. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She shuffled away from him, willing herself to stop being upset. 

There was nothing worse than being let down. She’d known that for years, and yet still she’d hoped and expected that he would...

That he would love her.

Hilda buried her face in her hands and swallowed a sob. She was too tired for this. She shouldn’t have went looking for him, she should have stayed in the crowd and let this rejection come tomorrow.

“Hilda, look at me. Come on, please.” His hand brushed her shoulder, trying to get her to snap out of it. She flinched. The last thing she wanted at this moment was to look at him or be touched. Claude drew back and even with her eyes shut she knew he was staring at her.

“I don’t want to leave you.”He was straining to keep his voice even. “If something happened to you, I could never forgive myself. I want you with me, but more than that Hilda I want you safe. Almyra barely tolerates me, and my mother, all my life she...”

“Hilda, I love you.” Claude said at last. “I can’t ask you to come back with me and start all this over again. It’s not fair to you.”

“But what if I want to?!” Her voice sounded whiny even to her. “You just assumed I wouldn’t!”

Hilda looked up to see the Prince of Almyra staring at her with his mouth agape. 

She blushed.They were both silent. Claude had been rendered speechless and Hilda was too afraid to speak. 

“...do you...really love me?” Hilda asked. Claude nodded, rubbing at his eyes.

“More than anything.” He admitted. 

The look of panic that flew across Claude’s face would have made her laugh if she wasn’t consumed by a fresh round of sobs. 

“...why are you crying now?” Claude asked, half laughing, as he experimentally placed his arm around her.She squirmed her way onto his lap. Tears were running down her face but she was laughing now too.

“I love you too.” Hilda managed between laughs. “I love you so much I can’t stand it."

Any lingering doubts she may have had about his confession were chased away by the way his whole face lit up at her words with the realest smile he’d ever worn, eclipsing the one from their victory easily. 

A smile Claude wore just for her. "...you'll come with me then?"

She nodded.

“It won’t be easy,” He warned. “The trip alone is a nightmare. It’s nothing like Fodlánand we’ll be starting from scratch.“ Claude hesitated. “...you’re sure?”

“Claude, you really think I wouldn’t do it all again for you?” The words tumbled from her lips before she could stop them. “That I wouldn’t fight the Empire, Nemesis, anyone if you asked me to? We’ve already fought an uphill battle. Do you think one more could scare me off?” Hilda caressed his cheek with one hand. 

“No.” Claude smiled.“I can’t believe I’m this lucky is all.” 

“I think that’s my line.” Hilda giggled. She scrubbed at the last few remaining tears and tried her best not to sniffle. 

“...so, ready to change the world again?”

“...let’s handle that tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay, okay.” Claude wrapped his arms around her. “Party today, change the world tomorrow.” 

“Tell my father I’m going to Almyra the day after that.” Hilda added as she snuggled closer.

“Before or after you tell him you’re in love with the Almyran Prince?”

“I don’t know but definitely after I’ve actually kissed the Almyran Prince.”

“I think we can take care of that now, I mean, if you’re interested.”

“After all you’ve put me through today, I think I deserve at least that.”

Claude made quick work of what little distance there was left between them and kissed her soundly. This was quickly followed by a second, and then a third kiss. Each more hurried than the last.

“We shouldn’t stay out here much longer.” He mumbled between their next few kisses. “Someone will come looking for us.”

Hilda met his lips again. “A few more minutes won’t hurt anyone.”

When they did finally return, it was clear that their absence hadn’t gone unnoticed, and everyone had made a rough guess as to what had occurred while they were gone. Claude only grinned and swept Hilda up into his arms and they rejoined they celebration.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic brought is to you by and named after a Lyric from the song "Promises" from the musical Hadestown.
> 
> "Don’t promise me fair sky above  
> Don't promise me kind road below  
> Just walk beside me, love  
> Any way the wind blows"
> 
> I listened to primarily the second act while working on this, specifically Promises....it make want to bawl...the softest Claude/Hilda energy.
> 
> This isn't a note about Hadestown and songs the songs in it that remind me of Claude though (but it's streamable on Spotify pls listen to it). 
> 
> I had a lot of fun emotionally compromising myself writing this lol, I wanted to post this last night but Ao3 said no, but I have a snow day from work. So we're posting in the morning after I've made some touch ups. 
> 
> Really this is just me fueling all of my feelings about the Claude S into a fic for my favs and delaying starting Crimson Flower because I will burst into sobs again when I see Claude.
> 
> You may also be wondering "don't you have a chapter Claude/Hilda fic you're working on too?", yes. "Why did you spend your Sunday writing this instead?" ...I do not control the speed at which I write Claude/Hilda. It's coming I promise.


End file.
